Towel For Use By Persons Assisting Babies, Toddlers, And Others With Bathing

ABSTRACT

The herein disclosed safety towel may provide three positions for a user: A first position, the baby bathing position; a second position, the baby lifting position; and a third position, the baby wrapping position.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional utility application takes priority to the previously filed provisional application: Application No. 62/481,136, filed Apr. 4, 2017, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to a wearable towel article, and more particularly related to a towel for use by persons assisting babies, toddlers, and others with bathing. The present invention is a towel comprising an adjustable neck strap for holding the towel in place on a user, a first mitten having one or more fasteners for fastening the first mitten to a second mitten, the second mitten having one or more fasteners for fastening the second mitten to the first mitten, and a hood having one or more fasteners. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the adjustable neck strap may be completely removeable.

The herein disclosed towel may provide a user with three positions. A first position, which may be referred to as the bathing position, wherein the towel is worn much like an apron to protect a user from splashes while retaining the mittens out of reach, with the first mitten and the second mitten fastened together behind a user's back. A second position, which may be referred to as the lifting position, wherein the first mitten and the second mitten have been unfastened and the user has placed his or her right hand within the first mitten and his or her left hand within the second mitten, so as to facilitate non-slip, or substantially non-slip, grasping and lifting of the baby out of the bathtub. And a third position, which may be referred to as the wrapping position, wherein the user is holding the baby against the towel on his or her chest and the user removes his or her hands from the mittens so as to wrap and/or swaddle the baby with the first mitten and the second mitten and to optionally unfasten the baby hood and place the baby hood on the baby's head.

STATEMENTS AS TO THE RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lifting wet babies and toddlers out of the bathtub after bath time presents numerous difficulties and safety issues. The person administering the bath, usually a parent, may lose his or her grip on the wet baby in the transfer from the bathtub to a towel. The situation may be even worse with a larger toddler, an adult, or an animal who may need assistance in exiting the bathtub. An accident may easily occur. If the person administering the bath is able to avoid an accident, the person may instead become wet—not usually a dangerous situation, but a nuisance nonetheless.

Certain towel devices have been developed to address this issue. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,634,818 to Trujillo et al. (hereinafter “Trujillo et al.”), discloses a combination user protection and baby safety towel that includes sleeves that may be worn by a user and that allows the user to wrap the baby in the sleeves. But Trujillo et al. appears to require the user to grasp the baby, and lift the baby, with his or her bare hands. And Trujillo et al. does not provide for retaining the wrapping material (the sleeves of Trujillo et al.) out of reach while being worn. Trujillo et al. does not include a baby hood, and further differs from the present invention in that the Trujillo et al. towel device requires a user to wear the device's sleeves, limiting the user's arm mobility and requiring a more exact fit, in comparison to the present invention.

Accordingly, there is a need for a towel than can be easily worn to protect against splashes while retaining the baby wrapping material out of reach during bath time. And there is a further need for such a towel device that includes a baby hood for keeping the baby's vulnerable head warm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1A shows an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed safety towel as worn by a user in the bathing position, wherein the first mitten is fastened to the second mitten behind the user's back;

FIG. 1B shows an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed safety towel as worn by a user in the lifting position, wherein the user's right hand may be positioned in the first mitten and the user's left hand may be positioned in the second mitten;

FIG. 2A shows an exemplary embodiment of a neck strap of the herein disclosed towel;

FIG. 2B shows an exemplary embodiment of a second mitten of the herein disclosed towel;

FIG. 2C shows an exemplary embodiment of a first mitten of the herein disclosed towel;

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a hood of the herein disclosed towel;

FIG. 4A shows an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed towel as worn by a user in the wrapping position, with the user's right hand in the first mitten and the user's left hand removed from the second mitten and being used to hold the assisted entity;

FIG. 4B shows an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed towel as worn by a user in the wrapping position, with the user's right hand in the first mitten and the user's left hand removed from the second mitten and being used to hold the assisted entity, and with the hood unfastened and positioned on the assisted entity's head; and

FIG. 4C shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed towel as worn by a user in the wrapping position, with the user's right hand in the first mitten and the user's left hand removed from the second mitten and being used to hold the assisted entity, and with the hood unfastened and positioned on the assisted entity's head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to a wearable towel article, and more particularly related to a towel for use by persons assisting babies, toddlers, persons, animals, or objects with bathing. The present invention is a towel comprising an adjustable neck strap for holding the towel in place on a user, a first mitten having one or more fasteners for fastening the first mitten to a second mitten, the second mitten having one or more fasteners for fastening the second mitten to the first mitten, and a hood having one or more fasteners. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the adjustable neck strap may be completely removeable.

The herein disclosed towel may provide a user with three positions. A first position, which may be referred to as a bathing position, wherein the safety towel is worn much like an apron to protect a user from splashes while retaining the mittens out of reach, with the first mitten and the second mitten fastened together behind a user's back. A second position, which may be referred to as a lifting position, wherein the first mitten and the second mitten have been unfastened and the user has placed his or her right hand within the first mitten and his or her left hand within the second mitten, so as to facilitate safer non-slip grasping and lifting of the assisted entity out of the bathtub. And a third position, which may be referred to as a wrapping position, wherein the user is holding the assisted entity against the towel on his or her chest and the user removes his or her hands from the mittens so as to wrap and/or swaddle the assisted entity with the first mitten and the second mitten and to optionally unfasten the hood and place the hood on the assisted entity's head.

Throughout this specification the present invention will mostly be referred to as a towel. But those skilled in the art will recognize that the herein disclosed apparatus, and its components described herein, may be advantageously utilized in a wide variety of setting and situations and all such uses are intended to be included in this specification. For example, in certain embodiments the present invention may be made of a linen or a canvas material and utilized as an apron apparatus providing the substantially non-slip and multi-position functionalities and utilities described herein.

Referring to FIG. 1A, an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed towel as worn by a user in the bathing position, with the first mitten fastened to the second mitten behind the user's back, is shown. With the towel arranged in this bathing position, the user may be protected from splashing while the first mitten and the second mitten remain restrained out of reach of the baby or other assisted entity in the bathtub. Neck strap 230 is an adjustable strap that may be affixed on one end to main towel body 110 (main towel body 110 may alternatively be referred to as a towel body, an apparatus body, an apparatus main body, an apron body, an apron main body, or a main body), with the opposite end adjustably attachable to the main towel body. Alternative embodiments of the present invention may include a neck strap 230 that is completely removeable from the main towel body. An example of such an alternative embodiment may be detachable via fasteners, such as snaps, at both a first end of neck strap 230 and a second end of neck strap 230.

Referring to FIG. 1B, an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed towel as worn by a user in the lifting position, with the user's right hand in the first mitten and the user's left hand in the second mitten, is shown. First mitten 210 and second mitten 220 are visible is FIG. 1B, and as is apparent in FIG. 1B, first mitten 210 and second mitten 220 are each oven-mitten-shaped portions of the main towel body, with a thumb-section and a finger-section, much like an oven-mitt or oven mitten.

FIG. 2A shows a close-up view of neck strap 230. Neck strap 230 is adjustably fastened on one or more end. In an exemplary embodiment, neck strap 230 includes a series of snaps (female snap components, for example) that attach to an opposing snap (male component, for example) secured to the main towel body. In an alternative embodiment, both a first end of neck strap 230 and a second end of neck strap 230 may include fasteners, such as snaps, that allow for adjustable detachment from the main towel body (or from the towel apparatus entirely).

FIG. 2B shows a detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of a second mitten 220 of the herein disclosed towel. Second mitten 220 may be formed from a portion of the main towel body, and may include a secondary flap of material (which may be the same as, or similar to, the material of the main towel body) forming a loose-fitting glove-like structure into which the user may place his or her left hand. Second mitten 220 may include first fastener 221 and second fastener 222. The first fastener 221 and the second fastener 222 may be any sort of fastener known in the art that may function to fasten second mitten 220 to first mitten 210. For example, first fastener 221 may be a female component snap-type fastener corresponding to a male component snap-type fastener 211 located on first mitten 210. In another example, first fastener 221 and/or second fastener 222 may include a hook-and-loop fastening system.

FIG. 2C shows a detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of a first mitten 210 of the herein disclosed towel. First mitten 210 may be formed from a portion of the main towel body, and may include a secondary flap of material (which may be the same as, or similar to, the material of the main towel body) forming a loose-fitting glove-like structure into which the user may place his or her right hand. First mitten 210 may include first fastener 211 and second fastener 212. The first fastener 221 and the second fastener 222 may be any sort of fastener known in the art that may function to fasten first mitten 210 to second mitten 220. For example, first fastener 211 may be a female component snap-type fastener corresponding to a male component snap-type fastener 221 located on first mitten 210. In another example, first fastener 211 and/or second fastener 212 may include a hook-and-loop fastening system.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a baby hood 310 of the herein disclosed towel. The bottom most portion of the mail towel body may be formed into baby hood 310. Baby hood 310 may include a hood fastener 312 which fastens to a hood fastener anchor 311. Hood fastener 312, and the corresponding hood fastener anchor 311, may be any sort of fastening system known in the art, including, for example, a snap-type system or a hook-and-loop system.

Referring to FIG. 4A, an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed towel as worn by a user in the wrapping position, with the user's right hand in the first mitten and the user's left hand removed from the second mitten and being used to hold the baby, is shown. FIG. 4B shows baby hood 310 in position to keep a baby's head warm. To cover the baby's head with baby hood 310, the user unfastens hood fastener 312 from hood fastener anchor 311, so that baby hood 310 hangs loose from the main towel body. The user may then lift baby hood 310 and place baby hood 310 onto the baby's head. FIG. 4C shows a side-view of the same exemplary embodiment from FIG. 4B, wherein the safety towel is in the wrapping position and the baby hood 310 has been unfastened from the main towel body and positioned onto the baby's head.

Throughout this specification, the herein disclosed safety towel has mostly been described as being used by a user giving a bath to a baby. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same towel device disclosed herein may also be advantageously utilized by persons administering baths to toddlers and other older children, as well as by persons administering baths to persons of any age, including elderly persons. Furthermore, the herein disclosed towel may be advantageously utilized by persons administering baths to animals, such as pets for example. Some alternative embodiments of the present invention may be referred to as apparatus or as apron apparatus.

The herein disclosed safety towel may be formed of any material known in the art to be suitable for a towel (or suitable for an apparatus or an apron apparatus). An exemplary embodiment is formed of standard terrycloth material with bias tape edging, but other suitable materials will be apparent to those skilled in the art and all such materials are intended to be included herein. Similarly, the general dimensions implied by the various Figures are suitable for an embodiment of the herein disclosed safety towel for use by a user bathing a baby or a toddler. But other dimensions will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and all such dimensions for the herein disclosed safety towel are intended to be included herein. For example, the herein disclosed towel apparatus may be formed in a relatively large size for use with adult persons or large animals. Alternatively, the herein disclosed towel apparatus may be formed in a relatively small size for use with babies or small animals.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described herein in terms of a preferred embodiment and several alternatives, it is to be understood that the apparatus described herein can have a multitude of additional uses and applications. Accordingly, the invention should not be limited to just the particular description and various drawing figures contained in this specification that merely illustrate a preferred embodiment and application of the principles of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for use by user administering a bath to an entity, comprising: a main towel body forming a first mitten for receiving a right hand of the user, a second mitten for receiving a left hand of the user, and a hood for warming a head of the entity, wherein the first mitten has one or more fasteners for fastening the first mitten to the second mitten; and an adjustable neck strap for holding the apparatus in place on a user.
 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more fasteners include a first fastener and a second fastener.
 3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the second mitten has a second mitten first fastener and a second mitten second fastener, and wherein the first fastener is attachable to the second mitten first fastener and the second fastener is attachable to the second mitten second fastener.
 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the first fastener, the second fastener, the second mitten first fastener, and the second mitten second fastener are snaps.
 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hood includes one or more fasteners for fastening the hood in a closed position.
 6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the adjustable neck strap has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is fixed to the main towel body and the second end is removably and adjustably attached to the main towel body by a series of snaps.
 7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the adjustable neck strap is completely removable from the main towel body.
 8. An apparatus for use by user administering a bath to an entity, comprising: a main towel body forming a first mitten for receiving a right hand of the user, and a second mitten for receiving a left hand of the user, and a hood for warming a head of the entity, wherein the first mitten has one or more fasteners for fastening the first mitten to the second mitten; and an adjustable neck strap for holding the apparatus in place on a user; wherein the apparatus provides for a bathing position wherein the apparatus is worn by the user as an apron to protect the user from splashes while retaining the first mitten and the second mitten out of reach of the entity; wherein the apparatus provides for a lifting position wherein the first mitten and the second mitten are unfastened, the first mitten has received a right hand of the user, and the second mitten has received a left hand of the user; and wherein the apparatus provides for a wrapping position wherein the first mitten and the second mitten are wrapped around the entity.
 9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the wrapping position includes the hood on a head of the entity.
 10. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the one or more fasteners include a first fastener and a second fastener.
 11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the second mitten has a second mitten first fastener and a second mitten second fastener, and wherein the first fastener is attachable to the second mitten first fastener and the second fastener is attachable to the second mitten second fastener.
 12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the first fastener, the second fastener, the second mitten first fastener, and the second mitten second fastener are snaps.
 13. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the adjustable neck strap has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is fixed to the main towel body and the second end is removably and adjustably attached to the main towel body by a series of snaps.
 14. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the adjustable neck strap is completely removable from the main towel body.
 15. An apron apparatus for use by user administering a bath to an entity, comprising: a main body forming a hood, a first mitten, and a second mitten, wherein the first mitten includes a first mitten first fastener and a first mitten second fastener, wherein the second mitten includes a second mitten first fastener and a second mitten second fastener, and wherein the first mitten first fastener, the first mitten second fastener, the second mitten first fastener, and the second mitten second fastener function to fasten the first mitten the second mitten; an adjustable neck strap for holding the apron apparatus in place on a user, wherein the adjustable neck strap has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is fixed to the main body and the second end is removably and adjustably attached to the main body by a series of snaps; and wherein the hood includes a fastener for attaching to a corresponding fastener on the main body to hold the hood in a closed position during nonuse.
 16. The apron apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein first mitten first fastener is a male snap component and second mitten first fastener is a female snap component and the male snap component is attachable to the female snap component to position the first mitten and the second mitten behind the user.
 17. The apron apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein first mitten second fastener is a male snap component and second mitten second fastener is a female snap component and the male snap component is attachable to the female snap component to position the first mitten and the second mitten behind the user.
 18. The apron apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the apron apparatus provides for a bathing position wherein the apron apparatus is worn by the user as an apron to protect the user from splashes while retaining the first mitten and the second mitten out of reach of the entity; wherein the towel apparatus provides for a lifting position wherein the first mitten and the second mitten are unfastened, the first mitten has received a right hand of the user, and the second mitten has received a left hand of the user; and wherein the towel apparatus provides for a wrapping position wherein the first mitten and the second mitten are wrapped around the entity. 